Legs · Bodyweight
Forward Backward Shuffle
How to do the forward backward shuffle, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- time
- Movement
- Lunge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set up in an athletic stance with knees soft and chest up. Shuffle forward several quick steps staying low, then shuffle backward to your start, keeping your feet light and fast. Repeat the forward and backward pattern, driving off the balls of your feet.
- 1Quick, springy contact through the balls of your feet
- 2Your quads and glutes driving you forward and braking you back
- 3A low, athletic posture held throughout
Common mistakes
- Do not stand upright; stay low in the athletic stance
- Avoid heavy, flat-footed steps
- Do not cross your feet or let your knees cave in
Muscles worked
The forward backward shuffle mainly works the quads, glutes, and calves, with the hamstrings, hip flexors, lower abs, adductors, and tibialis anterior assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- CalvesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- AdductorsSupport
- Tibialis AnteriorSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
Kovo programs the forward backward shuffle for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More quads exercises
- How to do the resistance band squat
- How to do the resistance band squat to press
- How to do the resistance band thruster
- How to do the resistance band squat walk
- How to do the barbell squat
- How to do the barbell bulgarian split squat
Last reviewed June 2026.